52 THE SAKAI AND SEMANG DIALECTS. 
But a good many are at least doubtful, and one great ele- 
ment of uncertainty remains which it is at present impossible 
to eliminate, viz: the question whether the so-called Mon- 
Annam languages themselves constitute a true family or are 
not rather a very mixed formation, embodying various elements 
of unknown origin. 
The point is shortly this: so long as one is dealing with 
Peguan or Cambojan, about which, as they are written langu- 
ages, a considerable amount is known, one is on relatively safe 
ground and can fairly refer words, that are attested by their 
appearance in these two languages, to the Mon-Annam group. 
But when it comes to words that reappear only in such dialects 
as Lemet, Cat, Sedang and the like, of which merely a few 
short vocabularies exist, while little or nothing is known of 
their structure, the genuine Mon-Annam character of such 
words is at least doubtful. The frequent comparisons with 
Cham which the author makes also illustrate this point: for 
Cham is, in part at least, a Malayan language. Such a word as 
cheong “belly” in Sémang, if it be really identical with the 
Cham tian, cannot be referred to a Mon-Annam origin, for tian 
is unquestionably Malayan, occurring as it does in several 
island languages of the Archipelago. 
‘lhe fact is that one is dealing here with very mixed mate- 
rials, and even the greatest care will not prevent an occasional 
mistake. 
After setting out the comparative vocabulary and the too few 
sentences which have been recorded, the author proceeds to give 
what is really the first attempt at a comparative grammar of these 
dialects. As a first attempt it can only be characterized as 
admirable. 
He begins by discussing the sounds, both vowels and con- 
sonants: and here it is worth while laying stress upon his well- 
grounded complaint that collectors almost uniformly omit to give 
a key to their systems of orthography. If they would only be 
good enough to explain precisely how they intend words to be 
pronounced, the work of the comparative student would be 
much facilitated. The discussion of the phonology of these 
dialects brings out several interesting points. The nasal con- 
sonants are noticed; the nasal vowels, however, which are 
Jour Straits Branch 
